Straighten the crookedness

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

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2017 came and went, and the police officer involved in the Oct. 1 car crash that killed James Arcelana on High Street in Greenfield was never publicly identified. Quite a bit of information was published about the deceased, none at all about the officer.

Do we have a free and independent press, one of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights? Let’s prove it. Every time a police officer is involved in the death of a citizen in Franklin County, I ask The Recorder to publish the full name of the officer, regardless of culpability, and to report the details of the officers involvement the same as they are reported for the deceased.

For example, was the officer speeding, under the influence of opioids? Did the officer run a red light, leave the scene of the accident? Has the officer been involved in the death of other citizens, etc.? Sure, the police would like to remain anonymous. The brotherhood of police have indoctrinated the public and themselves to believe that the police are above the law. They are not.

The police are not the C.I.A., they are not the military, and they are not in charge of municipalities, as they often claim to be. The police are not in charge of our schools, our courts or the press. Why? Because we have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.

Here is what the police are in charge of. They are in charge of the police department and they are subject to our laws and our Constitution in the performance of their jobs. It’s time to report the activities of the police, and its time for citizens to take police officers to court when they break our laws, violate citizens’ civil liberties or kill innocent people.

Tedd White

Hawley

(Editor’s note: the October fatal accident is still under investigation by the state police and the district attorney’s office)